Recipe: Homemade butter

You might be thinking “why should I bother to make my own butter, it’s easy enough to purchase”. And you’re right, it’s easy to purchase but I can make a case for churning your own:

To make flavored butter at it’s freshest.

To ensure that the butter is organic and hormone free by purchasing cream from a reputable, local farmer.

When butter is made from grass-fed cows milk, it’s got more beneficial fatty acids, it’s higher in vitamin E, and has more beta-carotene.

Plus, making butter is a simple process that’s kind of fun.

Homemade Butter

Makes ½ cup butter + buttermilk

1 cup cream

1 mason jar with a tight fitting lid

Pour the cream into the jar and close tightly. Shake until the cream turns to whipped cream and continue to shake until you see 2 products: a ball of yellow butter and a milky liquid (buttermilk).

Don’t discard the buttermilk! Reserve (and refrigerate) it to use for cooking or baking. Wash the ball of butter under cold running water and knead it between your fingers (this will make sure the butter is smooth and free of excess buttermilk, which can make it spoil). Lastly, place it in a bag and mix it with flavorings or just put it in the fridge and use at your leisure.